Carton construction



Aug. 22, I967 N. V. MORGESE CARTON CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 6, 1964 E Wm WM V S An L o H m N United States Patent Ofilice 3,337,045 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 3,337,045 CARTON CONSTRUCTION Nicholas V. Morgese, Haverstraw, N .Y., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 401,796 12 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in carton constructions, and more particularly to a novel end panel for a tubular open ended carton of the type adapted to have positioned therein one or more rows of containers.

This invention particularly relates to improvements in bottle carriers wherein the products disposed within the bottles are subject to deterioration by exposure to light. The bottle carriers which are now commonly in use are generally of two types. In one type the carrier has upwardly opening pockets in which the bottles are positioned, and in the other type, the carton or carrier is in the form of a tube passing entirely around the bottles with only the crown caps thereof projecting through the top wall portion of the carrier. It is to this latter form of carrier that this invention relates.

In the past it has been found that a compact package may be expeditiously formed by arranging containers, such as bottles, in rows, and then wrapping the carton around the containers and interlocking the carton with the containers. However, such packages have open ends through which light may freely pass. It has been found desirable in the past to provide such packages with end closures sealing the open .ends of the carton. However, it has been too expensive to form the carton with integral end closures and it has been undesirable from a cost and handling standpoint to provide separate end closures.

A main feature of this invention is the provision of an end closure in the form of a simple panel having at opposite sides thereof flaps which may be automatically interlocked with the carrier upon the insertion of the flaps into the carrier between containers positioned therein and the side walls of the carrier.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel end closure for a bottle carrier which is so constructed whereby it may be merely slipped into place at the opposite ends of the bottle carrier and automatically interlocked with the bottle carrier so as to be readily adaptable to automatic positioning.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel end closure for an open ended tubular bottle carrier, the end closure having a panel which is of a configuration conforming to the outline of the end of the bottle carrier, and the panel carrying a pair of flaps having locking ears which are passable through openings or notches formed in the carton for receiving end portions of bottles, and the ears being tightly clamped in place by the bottles so as to prevent the accidental removal of the end closure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel end closure for use in conjunction with bottle carriers of the open ended tubular type wherein the bottle carriers have top wall portions which are disposed in depending relation and have identifying indicia thereon, the end closure having an upper panel portion which is engageable behind the end identification panel with the However, the

end identification panel assisting in the retention of the end closure in placing in the end of the bottle carrier.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a package formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG URE 1 and shows the specific relationship of the end panel with respect to the bottle carrier of the package of FIGURE 1, the bottles being omitted from the bottle carrier for purposes of clarity.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of an inside corner of the bottle carrier of FIGURE 1 and shows specifically the details of the interlock between the end panel and the bottle carrier.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the end panel on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 a package which is generally referred to by the numeral 5. The package 5 is composed of six bottles 6 which are arranged in two rows of three bottles each. The bottles 6 are substantially encased in a bottle carrier, which is generally referred to by the numeral 7. The bottle carrier 7 is of the wraparound type and passes substantially completely around the bottles 6. The bottle carrier 7, however, normally has open ends through which light may pass. Many products, particularly beer, are affected by light, and therefore, in accordance with this invention, the package 5 also includes end panels, generally referred to by the numeral 8, which close the normally open ends of the bottle carrier 7.

Briefly described, the bottle carrier 7 includes a central top panel 9, a pair of downwardly sloping outer top panels 10, side panels 11, and a pair of overlapping and interlocked bottom panels 12 and 13. The side panels 11 are connected to the bottom panels 12 and 13 by means of beveled panels 14.

It is to be noted that the outer top panels 10 have openings 15 formed therein through which upper portions of the bottles 6, including crown caps 16 thereof, project. central top panel 9 overlies the crown caps 16 and limits the downward movement of the central top panel 9. It is also to be noted that the central top panel 10 is provided with suitable finger receiving openings 17 to facilitate the carrying of the package 5.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 in particular, it will be seen that each of the beveled panels 14 is provided with an opening or notch 18 for each of the three bottles in a row. Each notch 18 is aligned with a bottle 6 and a lower portion of each bottle 6 projects out through the opening 18 as at 20 in FIGURE 1. In the formation of each opening 18, a projection 21 is formed on an associated one of the bottom panel 13 only being shown in FIGURE 3.

It is to be noted that the upper portion of each opening 18 is defined by a generally C-shaped cut which has terminal portions 22 thereof terminating in the beveled panel 14. The C-shaped cut defines a depending flap 23 on the associated end panel 11. It is also to be noted that the end panel 11 is provided with a cut line 24 which panels 12 and 13, the bot-torn Xtends normal to the longitudinal axis of the bottle carier 7 and substantially divides the flap 23 into two ialves.

Each end of the bottle carrier 7 is provided with an and identification panel which is generally referred to )y the numeral 25. Each end identification panel is hing- :dly connected to a respective end of the central top panel 9 and the outer top panels 10 and slopes downwardly and endwise of the bottle carrier 7 in the manner best shown in FIGURE 2. The end identification panel 25 may bear indicia to facilitate the identification of the package when only one end thereof is visible.

At this time it is pointed out that broadly speaking the bottle carrier 7 may be considered as having a top wall, two side walls and a bottom wall with the ends of the bottle carrier being opened. It is also to be understood that the end panel 8 telescoped within each end of the bottle carrier 7 may be broadly considered as an end closure.

Referring now to FIGURE 4 in particular, it will be seen that the end panel 8 includes a main panel 26 which is configurated to be snugly received in the end of the bottle carrier 7. The end panel 26 has a bottom edge 27, a pair of upwardly and outwardly bevel-ed lower side edges 28, a pair of side edges 29 and a top edge 30. The top edge 30 is defined by a fold line 31 along which there is connected to the panel 26 an upper flap or closure panel 32 which has beveled edges 33.

The side edges 29 of the panel 26 are partially defined by fold lines 34 along which locking flaps 35 are connected to the panel 26. It is to be noted that the locking flaps 35 gradually decrease in width from their lower portions to their upper portions. It is also to be noted that lower portions of the locking flaps 35 adjacent the panel 26 are removed, as at 36. The material removed at 36 is configurated so as to leave remaining along the bottom of each locking flap 35 a locking ear 37 which generally faces a respective one of the beveled side edges 28.

In forming the package 5, the bottle carrier 7 is wrapped around the bottles 6 in the conventional manner to form a tight readily handleable package. At this time the end identification panels 25 are still disposed generally in the planes of the panels 9 and so as to facilitate the insertion of the end closures 8. Prior to the insertion of the end closures 8, the locking flaps 35 of each end closure are folded to positions generally at right angles to the main panel 26. The end closures 8 are then passed into the open ends of the bottle carrier 7 with the locking flaps 35 passing between the bottles 6 and the side panels or walls of the bottle carrier 7. It will be seen that the locking flaps 35 are automatically guided by the bottles 6 and the side panels 11 with the result that the ears 37 pass into the outermost opening defined by the cut line portion 22 of the associated notch 18 so as to be interlocked with the bottle carrier 7 in the manner clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. It will also be readily apparent that due to the fact that the locking flaps 35 are wedged between the bottles 6 and the side panels 11, there is no tendency whatsoever of the bottle closures 8 to become disengaged. Furthermore, inward movement of the end closures 8 is prevented by the bottles 6.

After the end closures 8 have been thus positioned within the bottle carrier 7, the end identification panels 25 of the bottle carrier are swung to their positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 with the result that the upper closure panels 32 of the end closures 8 are also folded inwardly in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. In this manner, the sealing of the normally open ends of the bottle carrier 7 is completed.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the details of the end closures and the relationship thereof with respect to bottle carriers within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a carton structure of the type including a tubular carton member adapted to hold a plurality of containers, said carton member having a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls joined together along longitudinally extending corners, the ends of said carton member normally being open, at least two of said corners having notches formed therein for receiving end portions of containers; an end closure for closing an open end of said carton member, said end closure comprising a panel configurated in accordance with the outline of said carton member end for closing the same and anchoring flaps attached to said panel and partially passed through respective ones of said notches to form an interlock with said carton member.

2. The carton structure of claim 1 wherein said flaps are disposed parallel to said side walls and have anchoring ears.

3. The carton structure of claim 1 wherein carton member top wall has an end panel portion, and said end closure having an upper closure panel underlying said carton member end panel.

4. The carton structure of claim 1 wherein carton member top wall has an end panel portion, and said end closure having an upper closure panel underlying said carton member end panel, and said notched corners are lower corners of said carton member.

5. A package comprising a plurality of containers arranged in at least one row, open ended tubular carton encasing said containers, and an end closure conforming in outline to and closing at least one end of said carton, said carton having longitudinally extending corners provided with notches receiving corner portions of said containers, said end closure having flaps telescoped within said carton and interlocked therewith through associated ones of said notches.

6. The package of claim 5 wherein each flap has an ear passed through one of said notches and locked behind an adjacent portion of said carton, and an associated container seated in said notch retaining said ear in place.

7. The package of claim 5 wherein said carton has a depending top wall portion at said one end, and said end closure has an upper panel positioned behind said top wall portion.

8. An end closure for a normally open end of a carton having top and bottom panels joined by a pair of side panels which include openings for receiving bottom portions of containers housed in the carton, said end closure comprising a central panel configured for telescoping within a carton open end, said central panel being defined by upper, lower and spaced side edge portions, a securing flap joined to each side edge portion along an associated fold line, a relieved area in each securing flap adjacent said lower edge portion, each relieved area defining interlocking means in the form of locking and anchoring ears of each flap, said securing flaps adjacent said upper edge portion being devoid of such locking and anchoring ears, each ear having a terminal nose, said noses being normally directed toward one another and in opposed relationship to each other and forming a notch in each said ear facing toward said central panel upon the folding of said securing flaps about their associated fold lines whereby said notches are interlockable with an edge of the carton bounding the bottle-receiving openings.

9. The end closure as defined in claim 8 including another flap joined to said central panel by a fold line at the upper edge portion.

10. The end closure as defined in claim 8 wherein the lower edge portion of said central panel terminates in a free edge, and said terminal noses are each disposed above an imaginary projection of said lower edge.

11. The end closure as defined in claim 8 wherein said securing flaps are defined in part by side edges, and said side edges converge toward one another from said noses toward said upper edge portion.

12. The end closure as defined in claim 8 wherein said lower edge portion terminates in a terminal edge, said noses are disposed above an imaginary projection of said lower edge, said securing flaps are each defined in part by a side edge, and said side edges converge toward each other from said noses toward said upper edge portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,693 2/1909 Ansorge 22923 5 1,565,765 12/1925 Walter 229-23 2,077,173 4/1937 Holy 229-23 3,176,902 4/1965 Champlin 2201 12 3,217,924 11/1965 Chidsey 229-23 10 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 

5. A PACKAGE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS ARRANGED IN AT LEAST ONE ROW, OPEN ENDED TUBULAR CARTON ENCASING SAID CONTAINERS, AND AN END CLOSURE CONFORMING IN OUTLINE TO AND CLOSING AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID CARTON, SAID CARTON HAVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CORNERS PRO- 